This invention relates to an improved operator shift input module for an automated manual transmission shift system.
In the prior art, automated manual shift systems are known wherein an operator can request an upshift or a downshift by moving an input paddle. An actuator, and engine controls then take over to shift the transmission to the gear requested by the driver. These systems are becoming widely utilized as they relieve the operator of heavy vehicles of the necessity of double clutching to make a transmission shift. On the other hand, the driver is still left with the ability to choose a desired gear ratio, and thus, in some respects, these systems are more desirable then automatic transmissions. One such prior art system is disclosed in PCT published application WO 97/44210.
In the past, shift input modules have been somewhat obtrusive. The modules have been mounted in the cab of a tractor-trailer, forwardly of the operator seat. In such vehicles, the operator will often wish to move about the cab. As an example, in many cabs, the operator has a sleep chamber behind the seat. The operator thus wishes easy access from the seat to the cab. In the prior art, the input mechanisms have sometimes been in the way of the driver as the driver attempts to move about the cab.